Window film needs very little care, but the wrong cleaner or a rolled-down window in the first few days can damage it. This guide covers what to do right after installation, how to clean tinted windows, what Calgary winters mean for your film, and the signs that something has gone wrong.
The first few days after installation
The adhesive under new film needs time to dry and bond to the glass. Until it does, the film can shift or lift at the edges.
- Keep the windows rolled up. Leave them up for a few days after installation. Rolling a window down too soon can catch the bottom edge of the film and peel it.
- Don’t clean the inside of the glass yet. Wait about a week before you clean the tinted surfaces.
- Don’t press on the film. Leave it alone while it dries.
- Expect some haze or small water pockets. A little moisture is left under the film after installation. It looks like hazy patches or small bubbles, and it goes away on its own as the film dries. Don’t try to push it out.
Drying takes longer in cold, cloudy weather. A winter install in Calgary can take a few weeks to clear completely. That’s normal.
How to clean tinted windows
What to use
- An ammonia-free glass cleaner. Many household glass cleaners, including many blue ones, contain ammonia. Ammonia can break down the film’s adhesive and discolour the film over time.
- Mild soap and water. A few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle of water works well.
- Two microfibre cloths. Use one damp cloth to clean and one dry cloth to buff.
What to avoid
- Ammonia-based cleaners.
- Paper towels, which are more abrasive than they look.
- Scrub pads.
- Razor blades and scrapers, which cut the film.
Technique
Spray the cleaner onto the cloth, not onto the window. That keeps extra liquid from running down to the film edges and the door seals. Wipe in straight, overlapping strokes, then buff dry with the second cloth.
Looking after tint in a Calgary winter
Frost and ice
Window film goes on the inside of the glass. Never use an ice scraper on the inside of a tinted window. If frost forms on the inside, use the defroster or wipe gently with a soft cloth. On the back glass, the film goes over the defroster lines and the defroster keeps working normally.
Temperature swings
Calgary can swing from deep cold to mild in a day when a chinook comes through. Quality film is made to handle that. Cheap film is more likely to lift or bubble over time.
Dust and static
Dry winter air builds static, which pulls dust onto the glass. Wiping the windows with a clean microfibre cloth now and then keeps them clear.
Stickers and suction cups
Anything stuck to the inside of a tinted window can mark the film or pull it when you take it off. That includes parking passes, suction-cup phone mounts and GPS mounts. Use a dash or vent mount instead, and hang parking passes from the mirror where you can.
Signs your tint needs attention
Peeling edges
Edges usually lift because the adhesive was damaged, often by ammonia cleaners or by rolling the window down before the film dried. A small lifted edge can sometimes be fixed. A larger one usually means that window needs new film.
Bubbles that show up later
Water pockets right after installation are normal. Bubbles that appear months or years later are different. They mean the adhesive is failing, and the film needs to be replaced.
Scratches
Rings, seatbelt buckles and rough cleaning can scratch film. Scratches don’t hurt how the film works, but they can’t be buffed out.
Purple colour
If tint turns purple, it’s dyed film breaking down in sunlight. 3M’s carbon, ceramic and multilayer films don’t use dye, so they don’t turn purple. Purple film can’t be fixed. It has to come off. Read why tint turns purple and our tint removal guide for more.
Need new film? See our 3M prices.